Chapter 18

Han Yi-won and his bodyguard had the elevator door open before them.

Their eyes fell on the many cars in front of them.

Song-ho walked ahead, "I will lead the way."

In Han Yi-won's mind, he was wondering. Why didn't Kale also speak to him?

They reached the car with few footsteps.

Kale was standing while leaning on the car. Both their eyes looked behind the windows, Ari was still sleeping soundly in the back.

Han walked up to Kale this time his eyes didn't waver.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Beak kun-woo ordered his man to get him the miss."

"How many A ranks were there?"

"Counting his own bodyguard, 15."

"Did you, kill them all?"

Kale nodded silently.

"Then she saw you."

"She thinks I am an assassin S rank now, you probably have to come up with a lie for that."

Something ran through Han's mind, then he asked, "What about Baek's heir?"

Kale's eyes glowed like a cold ring, he raised his arm, cleaning the side of his lips with his finger, "Still alive, for now."

Han's eyes became serious.

"You can't go for him dire-"

"I can," Kale's voice became imposing, but he sighed and his eyes changed. He turned to look at the sleeping Ari, "But I will wait until she gets strong enough."

"Strong enough?"

He turned to meet Han's eyes.

"Strong enough she can handle his family's response."

Han's eyes widened. "Is that why you let the situation grow to the point she had to call me? To watch her became strong? TO MAKE HER GO THROUGH THAT?" He shouted.

Kale's composure still remained calm.

"Do you know what she wants?" He asked.

"What?" Han was confused, "I don-"

"She wants to make her mother, regret leaving her so easily. She wants to make her father's family regret abandoning them. She wants to make her family members who laughed at her and bullied her, regret underestimating her." Kale looked at Ari while speaking.

Han's temper calmed down while he listened.

Kale continued, "Do you think, with your powerful standing, or with my prowess, we can give her any of that?"

"I can help her-"

"To what end? She is asking for strength, she is craving courage, for herself, not from you. Can you give it to her, while always protecting her? Tell me," Kale stood up properly and faced Han, "do you find it in your heart, to cage your niece forever, in that safe world you think you created for her?"

"Is that why you are letting her experience all that?" Han's expression started changing.

"I am her bodyguard. Nothing will happen to her. But to achieve her goals she has to leave her father's nest, and yours."

"You seem so sure about protecting her."

Kale didn't answer.

The parking lot turned silent as they looked at each other.

Suddenly, time paused, and a bright light appeared by Kale's side.

Fwoosh!

Kale appeared a few meters away, his hands in his pockets, calmly staring ahead.

Song-ho was standing in front of Han, with a beautiful unsheathed katana in his hand, looking back at Kale.

The katana slowly started vibrating, a blue aura leaked from it.

Han in the back cracked his neck. "Then don't mind us if we have to check if you can uphold your words."

Kale was silent.

"Let's see, S rank assassin," Han growled when a huge two-handed hammer appeared out of nowhere in his arms.

His muscles suddenly bursted, almost tearing through his suit.

He opened his jacket and threw it away before taking his stance.

"I felt magic in the car, Ari is not waking up for now, that is why you are letting this happen," spoke Song-ho.

Kale sighed. "Yeah," he answered in a low lazy voice. He wanted to experience the strength of the people in this world himself if he had to act like an S rank from now on.

All three of them walked to the middle of the parking line.

Han and Song-ho kept watching Kale's movements, seeing that he just stood there they started walking toward him cautiously.

Song-ho walked ahead, step by step. If Kale won't make a move, he will.

He held his sword tightly, his aura emerged from his body, and as soon as Kale's figure entered his range his fingers clutched on his sword.

Ssss, breathing fast.

His hand moved at an incredible speed, his sword infused with aura slashed a hundred times but his body motion only showed one.

The blue sword lines were drawn in the air around Kale while Song-ho retracted his sword.

And in a breath of a second... They all vibrated uncomfortably, making the wind rage and the earth shake.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!...

All the sword cuts slashed Kale, while his figure only stood there.

Song-ho and Han's eyes widened, because Kale, while he looked like he was standing there to a normal person, was moving at a speed matching the aura cuts by only moving as minimally as possible.

It was perfect, as if he knew exactly Song-ho's technique and he was familiar with each cut.

Song-ho kicked the ground and appeared next to Kale who just evaded the last hit.

He swang his sword with the raging wind. Kale dodged slightly to the side.

Veins appeared on Song-ho's face as he kept swinging. Kale evaded perfectly, while only his right hand left his pocket.

Suddenly Song-wo jumped in the air. Right behind him, an orange energy blast ran like a huge bull toward Kale, who stepped aside to avoid it.

Song-ho's feet hit the ground, while Han stood in front of him.

"You certainly have the agility of an assassin, but is that all?" Provoked Han.

Kale was unfazed, rather, he seemed bored.

Han's eyes turned cold.

He raised his hammer high and brought it to his left side.

"One second is enough," said Song-ho behind as he sheathed his sword.

Han's hammer turned all orange with his aura, he kicked the ground and launched himself toward Kale. The ground followed him as if he controlled the earth, it flew to his hammer making it bigger.

He smashed where Kale stood.

Kale flew a step back. Suddenly with Han's ground control, the earth shook as his feet touched it breaking it into pieces like an earthquake. Kale already flew high in the air, watching the ground burst open below him.

He raised his eyes.

The parking lot's atmosphere had changed.

Song-ho's aura was silent and deadly, swallowing both light and sound from its surroundings.

SSSS, he breathed a fog of a stream.

His muscles clenched and he slashed with his sword.

The aura sword flew at an astonishing speed toward Kale in the air.

BOOM!

Everything before them became smoke, the whole building shook with the explosion.

Song-ho didn't hold back even if he was in a building. Because this will make Kale take the hit willingly so as to not destroy the building.

The smoke slowly dissipated.

Kale's shadow was still flying, silently in the air.

"Was that all?" His deep and domineering voice brought chills down their spine.

Han hurriedly made it back to Song-ho's side.

Kale gently descended to the ground.

Just as Han and his bodyguard tightened their fingers on their weapons Kale was already standing between them.

He held his right hand in front of him.

They couldn't move, something was stopping them.

"What's happening?" Asked Han.

Kale walked by them toward Ari's car, meaning this fight was already done.

They could slowly see the purple threads on their bodies.

"When?" Shouted the confused Han, as the threads disappeared and they were able to move again.

"Ever since his right hand left his pocket, his fingers kept twitching while evading. He hid the aura of the threads."

Han sighed, frustrated, "I guess this is a one-shot sure kill for an assassin." Han looked at Song-ho. "With this, he is a 9th rank?"

Song-ho looked at his sword and wrist in his hand. These were all provided by the 9th ranker they knew for one-time use. Kale, survived with no scratches a hit unstoppable below 9th rank.

But the ring they were given hasn't glowed a bit, which meant Kale wasn't an ascended who came back to the mortal realm.

They just walked away after that.

"He is just, a 9th rank," answered Song-ho as he looked at the car one last time before leaving.

Yes, Kale wasn't an ascended, nor one of the realms of gods in this universe...

He was a being even beyond that.

---

Kale got in the car and silently kept looking ahead.

"MMMMM!" She made an annoyed sound while turning over.

He slowly turned his eyes to look at her through the mirror, she seemed to be having trouble sleeping in that position for so long.

Before he could do anything she opened her eyes, waking up from a bad nap.